Hakgala Botanical Gardens
28 August 2009
A relic of British colonial times, Hakgala Botanical Gardens, near Nuwara Eliya, are yet neatly maintained, and their age only adds to their natural beauty... acres of alternating trees, lawns, and beautiful flower gardens, interlaced by countless stone trails in every direction, every step providing a new beautiful scene. The gardens lay on the slopes of one of the highest peaks in Sri Lanka, and their varying nature is augmented by weather which transforms from sunny to misty to sunny in a few moments.
Our Day
We departed from Nayabedde school by hired bus at 8:30 am. After lots of snacks and juices on the bus, and a scenic ride through upcountry Sri Lanka, we arrived at Hakgala at 10:30. We spent three hours wandering the spacious gardens at our leisure and taking lots of photos in the beautiful surroundings. The weather seemed to alternate constantly between burning alpine sun and sudden mist as errant clouds collided with the mountain, but this we thoroughly enjoyed. At about 1:30 we finally left the gardens, thoroughly exhausted. We enjoyed a ride around nearby Lake Gregory, and lunch on a grassy stretch by a stream. We danced and sang on the bus all the way back to Nayabedde, arriving at about 5:30pm.
